Automatic straightness gage



July 1, 1958 J. A. HOSFORD ETAL 2,841,283

AUTOMATIC STRAIGHTNESS GAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 4, 1955INVENTORS JA. HOSFORD AL. HOUSE J E. LAPE MMQA ATZDR'N'EV July 1, 1958J. A. HOSFORD ETAL 2,341,283

AUTOMATIC STRAIGHTNESS GAGE Filed April 4, 1955 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG 47O COMPRE INVENTORS J. A. HOSFO/PD A. L. HOUSE JCLAP Mix ater 2 M283Patented July 1, 1958 a ainst AUTGMATIC sraaronrnnss and Jean E. Lape,Coopersburg, Pa, a ern Electric Company, incorporated, i a corporationof New York Application Aprii 4, 1955, Serial No. 493 384 Claims. (Ci.2G9F2} circuit is then energized and depending on whether or not thefree end of the clamped article makes contact with one of the sensingmembers, the article is rejected or passed and sorted accordingly.

These and other features of the invention will be more fully understoodfrom the following detailed description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of an automatic gage according to theteachings of the invention with portions broken away to show thestructural relationship of the parts;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the gage of Fig. 1 partlyin section;

Fig. 3 is a view of the sensing elements and the clamping mechanismshowing a warped article positioned therein, and

Fig. 4 is a schematic electrical and air control diagram for the gage.

As seen in the drawing, the device consists of a single article feedmechanism 2, a base member 3 for holding articles 5 in test position, ablock 4 for a pair of sensing elements 7 and 8, air tubes 16 and 11 forejecting tested articles from the device and plates 12 and 14 fordeflecting ejected articles to reject and good sorting compartmentsrespectively.

The single feed mechanism 2 is an air escapement device located in anarticle feed track 15 and consists of an upper and a lower air supplytube 17 and 18 through which air may be selectively applied to articles5 in the feed track. The feed track 15 provides an inclined channel forarticles 5 and is provided with a stepped portion 19 at its lower endformed by an upward slope in the top surface of the track so that whencompressed air is directed through tube 18, an article 5 entering thislower portion of the track will be pushed into the step 19 and heldthere until the air jet from tube 18 is cut ofi at which time thearticle will fall back into the track and down into an extension 20 ofthe track in main member 3. To prevent more than one article fromfalling from the track at one time, compressed air is applied to tube 17at the same time that the air jet is removed from tube 18 so .that anarticle dropping in front of tube 17 in the track will .be pushedagainst the lower wall thereof .to stop its downward travel. A thin slit16 is provided in the top and bottom surfaces of the track to permit theair to escape from the track. This feed mech- 2 anism is operated onceevery time an article is tested in the gage and will be described indetail below.

The main base member 3 is bolted to a bench 21 and has a fixed articlesupport and contacting member 22, a slotted guide shaft 23 forpositioning articles fed through the track extension 20, a movablerubber clamping member 24 for holding articles 5 against the member 22and cylinder actuators 25 and 26 for the guide shaft 23 and the clampingmember 24 respectively. The bearing surface of support member 22 isslightly wider than the articles 5 and is connected to a test circuit bya Wire lead 27 attached thereto. The furcated end of shaft 23 extends onboth sides of member 22 and serves as a removable portion of the articlefeed track. The furcated end of shaft 23 extends beyond the supportingsurface of member 22 a distance slightly greater than the thickness ofthe article 5 (Fig. 3). The shaft 23 is spring loaded to permit it to bemoved back when member 24 is advanced to clamp an article 5 to themember 22. The guide shaft may be retracted when the article has beentested and one of the air tubes 10 or 11 mounted to the sides of thebase member 3 is energized to permit the articles to be ejected.

The block 4 is electrically isolated from the base 3 by an insulatingfiber spacer 29 and is connected to the test circuit by a Wire lead 30attached thereto. The sensing elements 7 and 8 are mounted in block 4,the opposing sensing surfaces being separated a fixed amount as definedby the warpage tolerance established for the article so that onlyarticles warped beyond the tolerance limit will contact one of theelements when clamped to the support 22. in base member 3. The rubberdiaphragm 34 is held by a hollow cylindrical member 35 in the block 4below and between the sensing elements 7 and 8.

A control circuit for auton aticaliy operating the device is disclosedin Pig. 4. in this circuit a series of cams ii, 22, &3 and 44 (not shownin their proper relative positions) are driven by a motor 45' tosequentially energize a plurality of solenoid operated air valves and atest circuit for single feeding, positioning, clamping, testing andejecting articles. At the start of the cycle, the single feed mechanismis operated and the diaphragm 34 is infiated when cams 4!) and 42 closetheir contacts 47 and 4-8 which connect A. C. source 49 to the solenoidoperated valves 59 and 51, respectively. In operating, valve 5d closestube 18 and opens tube 17 to air supply tube 52 and valve 51 opens airchamber 35 to the supply tube 52. The article released by the singlefeed mechanism is channeled down through the guide shaft 23 to theinflated diaphragm 34. Next, cam 41 closes its contacts 53 whichcompletes the energized circuit for solenoid operated valve 54 for aircylinder 26 which advances the clamping member 24, pushing the upper endof the article :5 against member 22. Cam 4i? then opens its contacts 17to return valve 55 to its normal position whereby tube 3.7 is closed andtube is opened to permit the next article in the feed track to drop andbe positioned in the step 19 of the single feed mechanism. Once thearticle is clamped, contacts 4% of cam 42 are opened de-energizing thesolenoid controlled valve 51 to deflate the diaphragm 34. The testcircuit is thereupon energized when cam 43 closes its contacts 56. Thetest circuit includes a conductive path which may be traced from theelectrically isolated sensing elements 7 and 3 through lead 3% a highlysensitive relay 57 (may be an electronic type relay which is operableeven with a high resistance in its energizing circuit) and energizingsource 58 for the relay, the contacts 56, lead 27 and the upper supportmember 22. A bent article contacting either of the sensing elements 7.153" its conta he guide shaft jet (tubeifior ll'respectively) isenergized by,operation of solenoid controlled air valves 62 or 63 asdetermined by the non-operation or' operation respectively of relay 57'of the test circuit. The clamping memberid is then retracted when theair valve 54 is de-energized and the tested article is ejected by theenergized air jet, being dcflected into an appropriate compartment orcontainer (not shown) by'element 12 01- 14 Finally, at the end of the'cycle contacts 56 and 59 are opened by earns 43 and 44 to tie-energizethe test circuit and return the guide shaft ZStoisormalposition'respectiyely and the device isready for the next cycle.

While the invention has been described with respect to a particularembodiment 'for purposes of illustration, it will be understood'thatthedevice could be modified in variousways in accordance with the generalprinciples of the invention and the requirements of the particularconditions of use. For example, the air cylinder actuators 25 and 26 andthe valves and 54 therefor may be replaced with solenoids to accomplishthe same functions. Numerous other arrangements may be readily devisedby those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of theinvention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

l. A straightness gage for rod like articles comprising a pair of spacedsensing elements, a movable stop member for supporting one end'ofarticles fed thereagainst between the sensing elements, a fixed supportmember for the other end of the articles, means for clamping an articlepositioned on the movable stop to the fixed support member, meansfor'moving the stop from the end of an article'when it is clamped to thefixed support, and a series test circuit including electricalconnections to the clamped end of an article and the sensing elements,oper able after the stop is removed from the end of a clamped article,for detecting contact between the article and the V sensing elements.

, 2. A straightness gage for rod like articles comprising a pair ofspaced sensing elements; a movable stop memher for supporting one end ofarticles dropped thereon between the sensing elements, means for singlefeeding the articles onto the stop member, a fixed support member forthe other end of the articles, means operable after an article is fedonto the stop member for clamping the article'to the fixed supportmember, means for moving the stopfrom the end of an article when it isclamped to the fixed support, and a series test circuit includingelectrical connections to the clamped end of an article and 'the sensingelements, operable after the stop is removed fromthe end of a clampedarticle, for detecting contact .between the article and the sensingelements.

3. A straightness gage for rod like articles cornprising a pairof spacedsensing elements, a movable stop memher for supporting one end ofarticles dropped thereon be tween the sensing elements, a fixed supportmember for the other end of the articles, means for clamping an articleresting on the movable stop to the fixed support member, means formoving the stop from the end of an article when it is clamped to thefixed support, a series test circuit including electrical connections tothe clamped end of-an 'articlejand the sensing elements, operable afterthe stop is ber for supporting one end of articles dropped thereonbetween the sensing elements, means for single feeding the articles'ontothe stop member, a'retractable guide member for positioning said one endof the articles .on

the stop member, a fixed support memberfo r the'other end of thearticles, means fer clamping an article resting on the movable stop tothe fixed'support member,.means for moving the stop from the end of anarticle when it is clamped to the fixed support; a series test circuitincluding electricalconnec tions tothe clamped end ofan article and thesensing elements, operable after the stop is removed from the end of aclamped article, for detecting contact between the article and thesensing elements, ejecting means controlled by the test circuit forsorting tested articles in accordance with the results of the test andmeans for retracting said guide memberafter an tested.

5. Astraightness gage for rod lilce articles comprising a pair of spacedsensing elements, an inflatable stop men? ber for supporting one end ofarticles dropped thereon between the sensing elements ..means forinflating the stop, means for feeding the. articles singly onto'thestopwhen the stop is inflated, a fixed support member forthe other end ofthe articles, means operable after an article I has been dropped'on theinflated stop for clamping the article to the fixed support member,means operable after the article is clamped for de-actuating theinflating means to deflate the resilient stop and a test circuitincluding the fixed support and the sensing elements, operable after thearticle is clamped and the. stop deflated, for detecting contact betweenthe articles and the sensing elements.

6. In a straightness gage for rod like articles, means for supportingarticles in a'test position, an inclined feed track for, the,articlcs'and means for single feeding the articles from the track tothe supportingmeans comprising a stepped portion in the. track, meansfor directing a first air stream across the track to push articlesintorthe stepped portion means above the stepped portion for. directinga second air stream across the track to hold articles against 7 trackfor the articles and means for single feeding the ar t cles from thetrack to the supporting meanscomprising :a stepped portion in the track,means for. direeting a first air stream across the track. to pusharticles into the stepped portion, *means above. the stepped portion fordirecting a second air stream across-the'trackfto hold articles againsta surface of the traclcand means for. alternately supplying compressedair to'f'the "air stream directing means whereby an article isdischarged'from' the stepped portion whenever .the air is switched from'the first to the second air directing means. v 8. A straightness gagefor rod like articles comprising a pair of spaced sensing elements, anair controlled move able stop .member for supporting one end of articlesropped thereon between the sensing elements, air con trolled means forsingle feeding the articles ontothe' stop, a fixed support member forthe other end' of the articles, air-controlled means for clamping thearticles to the fixed support member, a testcircuit including the fixedsupport and the sensing elements for detecting con-.

tact between the articles and the sensing elements, air controlledejecting means'controlled bythe test circuit for sorting testedarticles, a plurality of valves' for supplying air .to the aircontrolled means and means for sequentially operating the valves tosuccessively move the stop member for supporting anarticle thereon, to

operate thesingle feed meansto drop an article onto the 1 stop, tooperate thesclamping means, to. retract the stop,

and to supply air to the ejecting means, the test circuit being operableafter the stop is retracted and before air is supplied to the ejectingmeans.

9. A straightness gage for rod like articles comprising a pair of spacedsensing elements, an air controlled movable stop member for supportingone end of articles dropped thereon between the sensing elements, aircontrolled means for single feeding the articles onto the stop, an aircontrolled retractable guide member for positioning said one end of thearticles on the stop, a fixed support member for the other end of thearticles, air controlled means for clamping the articles to the fixedsupport her, a test circuit including the fixed support member and thesensing elements for detecting contact between the articles and thesensing elements, air controlled eject ing means controlled by the testcircuit for sorting tested articles, a plurality of valves for supplyingair to the air controlled means and means for sequentially operating thevalves to successively move the stop member for supporting an articlethereon, to operate the single feed means to drop an article onto thestop, to operate the clamping means, to retract the stop, to retract theguide member and to supply air to the ejecting means, the test circuitbeing operable after the stop is retracted and before the guide memberis retracted.

10. A straightness gage for rod like articles comprising a pair ofspaced sensing elements, an air controlled movable stop member forsupporting one end of articles dropped thereon between the sensingelements, air controlled means for single feeding the articles onto thestop, an air controlled retractable guide member for positioning saidone end of the articles on the stop, a fixed support member for theother end of the articles, air controlled means for clamping thearticles to the fixed support memher, a test circuit including the fixedsupport and the sensing elements for detecting contact between thearticles and the sensing elements, air controlled ejecting meanscontrolled by the test circuit for sorting tested articles, a pluralityof solenoid operated air valves for supplying compressed air to the aircontrolled means, a source of operating potential for the solenoidvalues, an energizing source for the test circuit, a plurality of drivencams and contacts operable by the cams for sequentially energizing thesolenoids and the test circuit to successively move the stop member forsupporting an article thereon, to operate the single feed means to dropan article onto the stop, to operate the clamping means, to retract thestop, to energize the test circuit, to retract the guide member and tosupply air to the ejecting means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,795,287 Battome Mar. 10, 1931 2,505,283 Fenton Apr. 25, 1950 2,531,317Baney et al Nov. 21, 1950 2,554,982 Hartley et a1. May 20, 19512,675,916 Caston et al Apr. 20, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 129,648 AustraliaOct. 26, 1948 1,053,611 France Sept. 30, 1953

